The Virginia Library Association awards three $2500 scholarships for students pursuing a Masters degree in Library Science at ALA accredited schools. One of these, the Clara Stanley Scholarship, is awarded by the VLA Professional Associates Forum (VLAPAF). Another is sponsored by the Virginia Public Library Directors Association (VPLDA), and a third is funded by tax-deductible donations to the VLA Scholarship Fund.

The eligibility requirements for the VLA Scholarship are:

Residence in the state of Virginia or currently employed in a Virginia Library.

Undergraduate degree.

Acceptance by, or currently enrolled in, an American Library Association accredited library school. MUST be earning a Master of Library Science Degree.

For the Clara Stanley VLAPAF Scholarship: current employment at a Virginia library is required.

The major factors considered in making the awards are:

Evidence of commitment to a career in librarianship in Virginia.

Financial need.

Potential for outstanding achievement in the library profession.

Academic excellence.

Membership in the Virginia Library Association.

In order to be considered, your application including two (2) references is to be submitted by April 5, 2019. You must have two (2) references, one of which must be a librarian. A link to the Recommendation Form is above. This form must be submitted by the reference persons themselves.

The Scholarship Committee will review applications in April and you will be notified of the Committee’s decisions in early May. If you have any questions about any aspect of the application process, please contact: Michael Hibben, Roanoke County Public Library: [email protected] or PH (540) 777-8778.